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A mother convicted of murdering her five-year-old son is seeking a review of her conviction by the body responsible for investigating potential miscarriages of justice. Angharad Williamson was sentenced to life imprisonment in June 2022 for the killing of her son, Logan Mwangi, alongside his stepfather John Cole and a teenager, Craig Mulligan, who was 14 at the time. Williamson faces a minimum term of 28 years in prison and has previously failed in an attempt to overturn her conviction.
During a recent pre-inquest hearing held via video link at Pontypridd Coroner’s Court, it was revealed that Williamson is pursuing a possible appeal, though no fresh application to challenge her conviction was filed at the hearing. The inquest into Logan’s death has been scheduled for November 2027, more than six years after the boy’s murder. Williamson was seen attending the hearing from HMP Downview Prison with a mental health support worker but did not make any comments.
At the original trial at Cardiff Crown Court, Mrs Justice Jefford described the assault on Logan, a vulnerable child weighing just 20 kilograms (3 stone 1 pound), as “nothing short of horrifying.” Logan’s body was discovered partially submerged in the River Ogmore, close to the family home in Bridgend county, in July 2021. Williamson’s claim that the attack was carried out by Cole and Mulligan two days prior and that she fled the house to seek help was dismissed by the judge, who said it was a fabricated story designed to deflect blame. Logan, once a cheerful and smiling child, died from a “brutal and sustained” assault resulting in 56 serious injuries, including severe bruising and internal tears.
John Cole received a life sentence with a minimum term of 29 years, while Mulligan was sentenced to at least 15 years. Mulligan, who was allowed to be publicly named after a court lifted anonymity restrictions, was not Cole’s biological son but had been raised by him since infancy and regarded him as a paternal figure. Meanwhile, Tony Thompson, a former British Transport Police superintendent, disclosed that he is reviewing Williamson’s conviction after being approached by her. He aims to establish whether there are grounds to bring the case before the Criminal Cases Review Commission and potentially escalate it to the Court of Appeal. Thompson also expressed his intention to take an active role in the forthcoming inquest, which will examine events starting from August 2020.
The hearing also highlighted findings from safeguarding and social services reviews that identified failures, including hospital staff not sharing critical injury information with child protection services months before Logan’s death. These investigations triggered follow-up inspections suggesting ongoing concerns within children’s services in the area. Speaking after the court session, Thompson noted that Williamson was grateful someone was representing her interests since she lacked access to legal aid and financial resources. He emphasized his commitment to examining the case thoroughly while remaining mindful of its sensitive nature
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